IAFN June 2017

Promoting Health in Families Good news stories from around the Anglican Communion

International Anglican Family Network celebrating the God-given potential of the family as a source of thriving relationships, identity, belonging, discipleship and reconciliation Promoting Health in Families Anglicans around the world, often in partnership with others, are working among families and in their communities to increase health and wellbeing as part of the Church’s holistic ministry.

The stories in this newsletter show how working for health and wholeness is shaped by local circumstances and contexts. Healthcare and outreach may mean HIV prevention or accessible care for those who are HIV affected. It may mean providing clinics and maternal health services and advice, counselling after trauma, assisting substance abusers to overcome their addiction, or drawing alongside those who are lonely or depressed.

The ’s , the Rt Revd Dame Sarah Mullally, is a former nurse. She had a distinguished career in her country’s before , culminating in her appointment as the government’s Chief Nursing Officer for England in 1999. In her Editorial, Bishop Mullally reflects on the complex issues of mental health and describes some of the ways in which churches are extending their pastoral and healing ministry to those affected. Editorial: Life in all its fullness – spiritual, physical and mental wellbeing By the Bishop of Crediton, , Church of England, the Rt Revd Dame Sarah Mullally In bringing us life in all its fullness (John10.10) Jesus’ actions demonstrate that wholeness is not just about the spiritual and physical but is also about our mental wholeness.

In the UK, mental illness affects more people every year than cancer or heart disease. One in four of us in this country will be affected by a mental health problem in any given year. Severe mental illness can affect anyone, although it often emerges during adolescence or in the early 20s.

Living with a mental health condition can affect many aspects of daily life, from physical health to home, work, managing money and our relationship with God. The impact of poor mental health can be reduced if there is early intervention and support. But it is still the case that you are more likely to receive the urgent support you need if you have broken your leg, than if you are experiencing a crisis because of a mental health problem. As a society we are also less likely to talk about our mental health than our physical health.

Families today may face complex challenges and dilemmas including poor health, poor housing conditions, low income, fuel poverty and stress. Increasingly families will encounter members with dementia and memory loss, especially with older people and for us in rural communities like Devon, where I minister, loneliness provides particular types of challenges. Young people face pressure from anxiety and forms of addiction. There are over seven million carers in the UK and often their mental well-being is overlooked and a lack of respite care makes this a key issue.

Families can offer solutions to poor mental health but they can also be part of the problem! In the UK there are specialist networks for siblings, parents and children affected by mental health challenges. Continued on page 3 International Anglican Family Network (IAFN) Contents IAFN networks across the Anglican Communion to celebrate the God-given Celebrating every child: healthy timing potential of the family as a source of thriving relationships, identity, belonging, and spacing of pregnancy ...... 3 discipleship and reconciliation. Out of this celebration IAFN is an advocate for Calling within a calling: parish the family in the face of behaviours which diminish this potential, sharing and nurse midwife ...... 4 stories of hope, promoting family care and sustaining the family as the cradle A parish nurse for the ministry team ...... 5 for human dignity. Lusaka Diocese, Zambia: the Mothers’ Union contributes to family health ...... 6 Contact IAFN: Drug overdoses: clergy among those

[email protected] saving lives in Ottawa Diocese ...... 7 c/o The Anglican Communion Office, St Andrew’s House, 16 Tavistock Open doors and therapeutic support for Crescent, London W11 1AP, UK refugees ...... 8 Learning, unlearning and relearning http://iafn.anglicancommunion.org as a hospital chaplain ...... 9 https://www.facebook.com/AnglicanFamilies Zimbabwe: dismantling HIV/AIDS stigma Niassa: Life Teams in the community ...... 10 Front cover: Photo by PWRDF, IMG_0236 bike ambulance, licensed under CC ‘Wabvuwi’: the extraordinary story of a BY 2.0. Read the story at http://bit.ly/2sdV00v. clinic for local communities ...... 11 2 | IAFN June 2017 Churches are increasingly recognising how they can act as gentle therapeutic communities, safe spaces and places of belonging, valuing people at times of vulnerability whether that is short-term, chronic or lifelong.

Spirituality is deeply relevant to mental health: it shares much of the same territory, but seeks a holistic approach to life and recognises in some form an ‘extra’ dimension of transcendence or depth. While spirituality may be associated with religion, it is not confined to it.

We know that faith contributes to mental wellbeing including by offering people connections into a community. Churches and Christian groups provide a place of belonging and opportunities for meeting, sharing and caring across generations. Churches are increasingly providing cafés for people with dementia and enduring mental illness to meet and talk and support each other, as well as places to talk about bereavement and death. They are also working in partnership with organisations such as Age UK to provide community links to reduce loneliness.

We are good at praying for people who are ill but we need to be more engaged in challenging unhealthy lifestyles too. Churches are beginning to work with others to encourage better diet, more exercise and activity, as well as providing community meals and opening up church land to grow food.

Churches also have a role to play in encouraging people to talk about mental health. Many in the Diocese of Exeter joined in ‘The Depressed Cake’ initiative last year,* offering tea and cake and an opportunity to talk about mental health – bringing out in the open an area which benefits from being in the light rather than the darkness we create for it.

* See http://depressedcakeshop.com for more information about the Depressed Cake Shop initiative.

teaching but as a leader and elder in the village he would Celebrating every child: healthy speak to his seniors so that he could invite the pastors to train timing and spacing of pregnancy them and give the HTSP information. The Revd Gabriel Anyiko Owino is an Anglican priest in Siaya Prior to 2014 in Siaya sub-county, Kenya, there were County, Kenya. He has combined a faith approach with family numerous reported cases of maternal and child deaths planning information and has been encouraging couples to resulting from preventable health-related problems. Then think about safe spacing of pregnancies so that every birth can World Vision Kenya Karemo Area Development Program be a healthy event for mother and baby, and every child is mobilized pastors within Siaya sub-county and took us to celebrated. Here, he writes about his experience. Kisumu for training on Maternal and Newborn Child Health.

Charles received teaching about Healthy Timing and Spacing During the workshop we were able to get facts on of Pregnancy (HTSP) and family planning at their church from conception, pregnancy, birth, new mother and new baby. At the Congregation Hope Action Team (CHAT) members of St every stage we discussed myths and misconceptions and Mary’s Ong’iende. He embraced the teaching and decided demystified them. We learnt what can go wrong and how to together with his wife that they will start to use one of the prevent problems. Finally, looking at the Scriptures, we were methods of family planning because they had many children convinced that as faith leaders, individually and collectively, (six) and he was not seeing himself capable of caring for them. we had a role to play in transforming the lives of our people.

He said that he realized that a gap or spacing between his We made a work plan to take back to our churches: children will give him good chance to care for and educate  mobilize six Christians per congregation to form a them; he will have time to do his duties, and his wife will be Congregation Hope Action Team (CHAT) and identifying strong and able to do her work or normal duties which she community health volunteers, youth leaders, men’s leaders, used not to do before. Charles says that in the local Mothers’ Union leaders, Sunday school teachers and indigenous religion it is difficult for leaders to embrace such opinion leaders;  share with the members of our churches a sermon on the importance of stewardship of those whom God has placed in our care (1 Timothy 5.8 “but if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than unbeliever”), and create an enabling environment where children are given opportunity to grow like Jesus who experienced holistic growth in the hands of loving and caring parents (Luke 2.52 “and Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man”);  include in the premarital guidance and counselling curriculum issues of Healthy Timing and Spacing of Pregnancy (HTSP) which helps couples time their Change was achieved by involving faith leaders pregnancies to occur during a mother’s healthiest years IAFN June 2017 | 3 (age 18-34) and space pregnancies by three to five years, improving both maternal and child health; A calling within a calling: parish  speak boldly on family planning methods and let people priest and nurse midwife choose a method that is convenient for them in terms of health and faith; The Revd Fr Edward Zimba describes how his two-fold ministry  reach out to other pastors who have not gone through the has been warmly accepted in a Zambian parish. training so that they join us. Mawanda Anglican Parish where I am the parish priest is CHAT teams went to churches and community groups as well situated 36km north of Petauke in the Eastern province of as ‘one on one’ and also made referrals to the health facilities. Zambia. The parish has 15 congregations which I try to visit as We taught about birth plans. Pregnancy gives notice of nine regularly as possible. I am also in charge of the adjacent parish months, thus it is not an emergency. Parents can know the of Mpanbongwe with ten congregations and an Evangelist expected due date of giving birth, know the health facility one living in their parish house. wishes to deliver at in order to be attended by a skilled I was ordained priest on 11 August 2013 and I have worked in professional, and save money to pay for transport to the the area for five years now. I am married to Esther Musonda health facility or buy some essential items not provided for in Zimba and have a son John Mphatso. the health facility. I am a non stipendiary priest since I am also a male nurse and I We encouraged mothers to go to the antenatal clinic have just qualified as a nurse midwife working in the local immediately they realize they have conceived and make at clinic next to the parish house where I live. I consider this to least four visits as this enhances healthy pregnancy and safe be a blessing to myself, to my family, and the Church to be delivery. The people were informed about the importance of both priest and nurse midwife - having a calling within a exclusive breastfeeding of the newborn as this immunizes the calling. child, helps in the development of the brain, offers nutritional value, and is safe and readily available. Mawanda Anglican Parish, with support from the Diocese of Eastern Zambia and the Zambia Anglican Council, is involved in Change was realized as a result of the active participation of health delivery to the families of Mawanda in the areas of: faith leaders in partnership with World Vision and the Ministry of Health. a) Malaria Control programmes: The Church is working hand in hand with the clinic, focusing on prevention and treatment Rose was giving birth every year. The spacing of her seven programmes through training Malaria Control Agents. Their children was one per year or less. She had no time even to do responsibility is to sensitize the community on how to prevent her work as a woman and wife. She was always with child and malaria and the need to seek medical treatment early. her health was weak. CHAT members talked to her and she realized that she was in great danger and vulnerable to death b) HIV/AIDS: HIV/AIDS is one of the challenges in our parish if she would not take any action. affecting families within our church membership and the community at large. We have opened our church building to She embraced the teaching, saying that “If at all I could have the community for Anti-Retro Viral Treatment as there is no known this before, I could have not had such many children”. space in the clinic to cater for the clients, and to help fight Looking at the children one could see how they follow each stigma and discrimination. We show them Christ's love other so closely to the extent that one would think that they towards the sick, a challenge that affects us all. We have a are twins.

Rosaline already has four children. A CHAT member took the initiative and accompanied her to the antenatal clinic. She was attended to and from then went to clinic without fail till her time of delivery. She was taught about exclusive breast feeding, which she embraced. Rosaline is strong, not sick as she has been with previous pregnancies. She is now using a method to protect her from conceiving again soon.

Emily has had four miscarriages after the birth of her first child. A CHAT member advised her to wait till six months are over before attempting another pregnancy because the womb was still weak. Emily embraced the teachings and uses a birth control method. Her husband is supportive.

CONTACT: Revd Gabriel Anyiko Owino, Diocesan HIV and AIDS Program Coordinator, Dean of Hono Deanery and Vicar of Ywaya Parish, Anglican Diocese of Maseno West, Kenya. Email [email protected]. Fr Edward Zimba at work 4 | IAFN June 2017 Church social group of men and women called Tilibike (‘let us be strong’) who have been active in running past HIV/AIDS When a parish nurse joins the support programmes. Mawanda parish has also some social groups concerned with gender and development and gender ministry team... and governance. Parish nursing, sometimes known as faith community nursing, is operational in over 30 countries around the world. In each In 2013, Petauke District AIDS Task Force awarded the place the training and support are adapted for that country’s Anglican Church in Mawanda a Certificate of Excellence for the context but the basic principles and the core training remain best Gender, Human Rights, and HIV/AIDS programme at grass the same. Here, the Revd Dr Helen Wordsworth, a nurse root level. educator, ordained minister and founder/director of Parish Nursing Ministries UK describes how parish nursing works. c) Maternal and Child Health: As a church, we have encouraged our members to take up voluntary work at the Most people in the church know someone in the local clinic to monitor closely children under five years, and also community who is suffering from dementia, someone who is help mothers with safe delivery. This reduces the maternal caring for a family member, someone who has been recently and neonatal (infant) death rate. diagnosed with cancer or diabetes, or a young single mum who needs some support, physically, mentally and spiritually. d) Priest experience in health delivery: When I was first But does the church really know how best to help? deployed in my parish, I thought that my parishioners would be uncomfortable to be screened and examined by me. After a few months I found the opposite to be true. Pregnant mothers preferred and demanded that I conduct delivery of their expected babies. Since 2012 I am actively involved in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services like antenatal, postnatal, deliveries, child growth monitoring and immunization. As a result of this, the District Nursing Officer/MCH Co- coordinator recommended me for midwifery training during the annual appraisal for the year ending 2014. I had a heart to serve the community which has a high rate of neonatal and maternal deaths.

Now that I am a nurse midwife, it’s time for more hard work, especially as on 21 December 2016, I was appointed as Mawanda Rural Health Centre In-charge. As I witness peoples' challenges, my desire to further my education in midwifery grows, and as I source support, I will pursue it.

I have also enjoyed counselling HIV positive clients and those Revd Dr Helen Wordsworth, founder/director of Parish Nursing with chronic illnesses and dying patients. I have found it easy Ministries UK to help clients with both medical and spiritual advice. One way of addressing this is to appoint a part-time registered Finally, I thank my bishop, Rt Revd William Mchombo, for nurse to the church’s leadership team. They know about allowing me to work in Mawanda parish both as a priest and maternal and child health, disease processes, and the kind of as a nurse in charge of a clinic with far ranging health help that is available through the local health services. They activities. I also thank my family and others who have can offer evidence-based advice, liaise with other health supported me in my work. professionals, and link church volunteers with people in crisis. Editor’s note: Since receiving this article, we have heard that They can do all this and, if desired, may offer Christian prayer Fr Edward Zimba has become Dean of St Luke’s Cathedral with people, even those who never come near a church. and Archdeacon for Central Archdeaconry in the Diocese of Eastern Zambia. Our prayers are with him as he begins his In the UK, you will find a registered nurse in most church new ministry. congregations. With just one day a week, working for the church paid or unpaid, they can form a church-based health CONTACT: Revd Fr Edward Zimba, email ministry team that reaches out into the community, making [email protected]. the link between church and health providers, visiting, signposting, listening, and more. Religious leaders and HIV Testing It’s a great way of reaching the community because everyone Fewer than 50 per cent of people living with HIV know their has health needs in their family at one point or another. HIV status. Church leaders can be tested publicly, leading by example. Read about the World Council of Churches’ Take Julie, for example, who is a parish nurse based in the #KnowYourStatus campaign at http://bit.ly/2s44dbz. county of Kent, UK. She says:

IAFN June 2017 | 5 Lusaka Diocese, Zambia: the Mothers’ Union contributes to family health Dr Frida Kazembe, former Mothers’ Union President for the Anglican Diocese of Lusaka in Zambia and trustee for the Mothers’ Union worldwide, describes how Mothers’ Union members faithfully serve the well-being of families in their communities.

When the AIDS epidemic struck in the 1980s, families were devastated. In the Lusaka Diocese of Zambia, church services were used to raise awareness and ways of preventing the spread of the disease. Trained personnel in congregations, many of whom were members of the Mothers’ Union, gave health talks during church services, offered psychosocial counselling services and provided home-based care.

The Diocese of Lusaka and the Mothers’ Union work together to share information on important medical conditions, offer voluntary counselling for patients and also provide screening for diseases such as hypertension, diabetes , cervical A parish nurse/midwife is commissioned in Brixton, London and breast cancer and testing for HIV infection. Members are making a difference in homes and churches as “I make, and take referrals to and from many other health- they build up their communities through their various related agencies. I have a trusted relationship with all of them activities and services. The sick are visited and prayed for in due to my previous nursing work in the town and am their homes and in hospitals. Some Mothers’ Union branches approached at church and in the street for advice on various support neonatal units and the Diocese runs a ‘hospital bag’ health issues. initiative whereby linen, baby blankets, clothes and toiletries “I develop support groups and train and coordinate are given to mothers of newborn babies. Bereaved families volunteers. Our mental health drop-in group has been held up are visited, and orphans and vulnerable children are cared for. as an example throughout the region. I run a Teddy Bears Members trained as agents of the Zambia Anglican Council Clinic for local pre-schoolers to familiarise them with the Malaria ‘Nets for Life’ prevention programme distribute nets Minor Injuries Unit and teach them accident prevention, and I to families in need of them. promote healthy life styles at the youth club. The belief that stable family life is a basic ingredient for “I can also offer prayer and spiritual support. Most of our positive family health motivates this strong partnership clients are unchurched but will often end up asking about between the Mothers’ Union and the Anglican Church in the faith. Involved alongside me are Christian volunteer drivers Diocese of Lusaka. who can listen and pray on the client’s journey to and CONTACT: Brigadier General Dr Frida Kazembe, Mothers’ from appointments. All my work is prayer-led. Parish Nursing Union, Lusaka Diocese in Zambia. Email [email protected]. Ministries UK not only offers me the initial training, but also quality assurance, professional resources, networking opportunities, a regional coordinator, and study days to keep me up to date.”

All Parish Nursing initiatives are connected through the Westberg Institute for Faith Community Nursing, via an international coordinator.

CONTACT: The Revd Dr Helen Wordsworth, [email protected]. For more information, see www.parishnursing.org.uk or https://westberginstitute.org.

Visit IAFN at: http://iafn.anglicancommunion.org https://www.facebook.com/AnglicanFamilies Mothers’ Union members during the Anglican Consultative Council Send us your stories: Email [email protected] meeting in Lusaka, 2016

6 | IAFN June 2017 The hope continues to be that lives are saved and that Drug overdoses: clergy in Ottawa families, adults and youth become aware of the risks of opioid use, particularly counterfeit drugs purchased illegally. It is a diocese, Canada, among those work in progress and will take continued efforts of partners saving lives throughout our community. The Revd Monique Stone has been leading the Diocese of As with any ministry work we do as the church we never know Ottawa’s response to overdoses involving counterfeit opioid how the seeds we plant will make impact directly or indirectly. drugs sold illegally. She describes what has been happening. Just last week a car was stopped by Ottawa police and the officer quickly recognised that the driver was in the initial On 31 December 2016 in Ottawa, Canada, a news article urged stages of an opioid overdose. Paramedics administered citizens to go to their local pharmacy to pick up a free naloxone and stabilized the man as he was driven to the naloxone kit. Naloxone is an antidote that assists in hospital. A life was saved by the naloxone kit. There will be counteracting the effects of opioid drug overdoses. The more stories of the impact of naloxone throughout our announcement was an effort to bring awareness to the reality communities but even just one story will inspire us to that counterfeit opioid drugs containing high levels of death- continue our work. causing fentanyl had hit the streets of Ottawa. The availability of the kit at no charge was, and is, an effort by Canada’s Ministry of Health to encourage the public to help in a battle they are not sure they can win on their own.

The invitation that day was for anyone - parents, teachers, government organisations, and yes, even clergy - who might come in to contact with a person who had taken an illicit opioid during New Year’s Eve festivities, to try and save a life.

That is what naloxone can do. It can save a life. It doesn’t reverse the impact of an opioid overdose but rather it delays the effects, namely respiratory depression and heart failure, hopefully long enough for an ambulance to arrive.

A mere six weeks after the New Year’s Eve announcement two teens died of apparent overdoses. Though these deaths were not the first, the media attention surrounding the tragic loss of the 14 and 18-year-old girls acted as a catalyst for broad range attention and action.

The Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, having already been inspired to be part of solution by arranging to train over 20 clergy in Revd Monique Stone with a naloxone kit naloxone administration, responded by launching free drug overdose prevention workshops for the public. As the clergy person leading the diocesan response to this crisis I have been interviewed by many media reporters. An Our diocese has embraced the call to react quickly, open our interesting question that has been posed to me each time is doors, foster dialogue and enable solutions. Within an eight- why the church would be involved in this issue when, week time frame it is expected that over 200 people will be according to the reporters, society would assume that equipped with a naloxone kit through one of our diocesan religious institutions are solely focused on an individual’s hosted events. spiritual life. Each event is a partnership between the host church My reply to this question is that the church has always and will community, a local pharmacist who will distribute naloxone always be focused on the entire health and wellbeing of the kits and train each attendee on how to use it, the local public people, families, youth and children who are both inside and health organisation who will provide insight on what to look outside our walls. for when identifying a drug overdose, and the local community resource centre which will provide support to “The church participates in the journey of people’s lives from adults, parents and youth who might be grappling with the their birth to their death,” I tell them, “so when a crisis such as knowledge that the risky use of opioid-based recreational this demands action so that lives can be saved and journeys drugs is on the increase. strengthened we have always, and will always, be part of that response.” Most of the attendees are not church parishioners but rather members of the broader public, many communicating a high CONTACT: The Revd Monique Stone, Anglican Parish of level of gratitude that the church would play such an Huntley, Carp, Ontario, Canada. Email important leadership role in partnering with others to battle a [email protected]. crisis that is affecting a diversity of people in our communities. IAFN June 2017 | 7 involved consulting for child welfare authorities and probation Open doors and therapeutic services, and speaking at ecumenical conferences on the support for refugees challenges faced by immigrant cultures. Canada has welcomed over 30,000 refugees from Syria in the “I came from the war zone country of Viet Nam 25 years ago. past year bringing both joy at new beginnings and the need for As most Vietnamese in my generation and that of my parents, a broader infrastructure to incorporate people into the fabric I had been living in constant fear. I can still remember how the of Canadian life and society. Children who have been without country dealt with the problems of bombs raining around us, schooling in refugee camps and families which have one or or how we managed to protect ourselves to find a safe place more members in traumatic circumstances require sensitive to hide from the shootings and bombardments. interventions, medical treatment, language classes, and support systems, including therapeutic help. “The clients I work with are Vietnamese-speaking people from war zone countries including Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia and Diane Marshall is a registered psychotherapist and registered from southern China, who have experienced war, escape, marriage and family therapist. As well as being a consultant to relocation and transition and who with incredible courage and Christian ministries and social justice organisations and serving resourcefulness continue their journey toward integration and on human life task forces for the Anglican Church of Canada, adaptation in the Canadian culture. Role reversal among the she provides clinical super-vision to therapists who them- family members, change of social status, legal problems and selves have been refugees or recent immigrants to Canada. lack of a support system compound their difficulties.

“Seeking professional counselling from a non-family member may be a new concept to many Vietnamese. Fear of breaking confidentiality or loosing face, the mindset that ‘I don’t need help because I can resolve my problem on my own’ and the stigmatization of mental illness can be hindrances to seeking help from outside sources.”

Samia works with refugees from Central and South America, in particular Colombia, Honduras and Mexico, often with families whose experience of the drug cartels, kidnapping, murder and other atrocities has caused them to flee through the ‘underground network’ via the United States to Canada.

“Immigrants and refugees usually go through what is called migration stress. They experience many losses in leaving their ‘Changing the World’: A gift from a Romero House family homeland, their families, friends and the world they know. Diane shares with us stories about the work of three such Precarious immigration status leads to insecurity navigating a therapists. complex immigration system.

Wafaa, a former family doctor from Egypt, is now a registered “I practise a holistic therapy using an approach that focuses on psychotherapist and supervises other Arabic-speaking the culture of the person, the social context that brings them therapists. She has worked with Diane at Romero House. to Canada, trauma they might had experienced, migration stress and family dynamics. It offers a variety of social services “We have seen a sharp increase in the number of refugees that answer to how people find stability and wellbeing, from political unrest or religious persecution in the Middle fostering good family dynamics, conflict resolution and East, mostly from Iraq and Syria (first displaced to Turkey, engagement with their communities.” Jordan or Greece), as well as from Egypt, Lebanon, other parts of North Africa, and Saudi Arabia. The majority are suffering Both Thuy and Samia work for The Lighthouse, an agency run from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). by the Christian Reformed Church in Toronto, see www.lighthousecentre.ca. “Many recount images of torture or death of their siblings, children, spouses, cousins or parents. It takes some time for Romero House was established as an emergency response to them to feel safe again. They usually experience anxiety, people fleeing El Salvador in the wake of the assassination of depression, isolation and sometimes suicidal thoughts. The Archbishop Oscar Romero and the civil war which erupted in presence of a supportive, consistent community (including that region of Latin America. Romero House continues to Arabic-speaking families, churches and mosques), counselling welcome refugees and persecuted minorities from Europe, and sometimes medication are what works. English as a the Middle East, Africa, Sri Lanka and South America. Second Language (ESL) programmes have been a great help for adults; finding a job helps mostly men feel they are still Diane’s role of therapist supervision includes professional able to provide for their families.” development and therapist self-care:

Thuy is a Vietnamese immigrant to Canada. Her sensitivity to “The challenge of these remarkable therapists and workers, the needs of the traumatised Vietnamese community has and the communities to which they belong and serve - and my 8 | IAFN June 2017 challenge as their clinical supervisor - is to understand the explained to her all she wanted was to go home and spend the healing process from multi-generational complex trauma, and rest of the time with her husband, children and grandchildren. for each of them to keep their own balance emotionally and spiritually. All of these therapists are Christians working in She told me, ”I want to go home up in the sky”. She was very inter faith and ecumenical circles, faithfully grounded in the aware of what was happening to her and she was well love of Christ.” prepared to face it. She could also think clearly and make decisions about what she wanted to do. As the Health Care CONTACT: Diane Marshall, email Chaplain I communicated this to the doctors and her wishes [email protected]. More information about and desires were respected. Beryl was sent home where, in Romero House is at https://romerohouse.org. due course, she died. I learned from her family that, as she wanted, she had met all the family members and spent time with them, shared love and said goodbyes. I had the privilege Learning, unlearning and to contribute a small part at her funeral. relearning as a hospital chaplain In my experience in India, it was very rare to see a patient who The Revd Helen Grace Siromony has served in healthcare didn’t live with their family. No patients ever discussed details chaplaincies in India and at the Dumfries and Galloway Royal of their funeral, the hymns of their choice, etc, with me. These Infirmary in Scotland. She reflects on her experiences decisions are always made by the family. accompanying patients and their families on the journey Being hospital chaplain has been a very rewarding experience. towards healing. There was much to learn, unlearn and relearn using the Working in Scotland as a Healthcare Chaplain was in many strengths of the experiences of both contexts in order to ways different from my previous experience as a Palliative reflect on and explore appropriate and effective ways of Care Chaplain in India, where I come from. Because India is supporting patients’ spirituality. I have come to realise that multi-religious and there is mutual respect for varying beliefs, I besides offering spiritual care for patients and families, it is could visit any patient in hospital irrespective of their faith critically important to facilitate networks between families, tradition. In Scotland a referral from a doctor, nurse or patient health care teams, local clergy and support systems, who themselves is required. together can bring spiritual fulfilment for all involved.

Initially it felt strange to lose the opportunity to engage with CONTACT: Revd Helen Grace Siromony, St John’s Scottish patients freely and it was challenging to accept that some Episcopal Church, Dumfries, Scotland, email patients did not want to see the chaplain even after being [email protected]. identified and referred by a doctor. Nonetheless, I found my work very meaningful and fulfilling and was able to work with the health care team and the local church to serve patients An authentic ministry and families when health was affected. “Healing sits at the heart of Jesus’ engagement with people and scripture reveals him restoring hope and transforming Agnes was found collapsed at home by her carer making her relationships. Those marginalised because of their illness are morning routine visit. Living alone and with no relatives she restored to community and limitations to their flourishing was brought to the hospital by the ambulance team. She was are lifted. suffering tormenting pain due to a tumour in her ovary, and “To be caught up in healing and healthcare is to be drawn had mental health difficulties. She was agitated throughout into God’s passion for human flourishing and the family entire nights for weeks continuously and always demanded offers a primary context where such flourishing is founded - attention of the staff. She was lonely and in utter despair. In an agency for restoring hope and recovering community. one of my visits, she said, “Could you please stay with me a bit Christians have been at the forefront of healthcare from the longer today?” It was obvious my visit made her calm down. time of the apostles and our continued involvement is a sign Unlike India, I have seen loneliness as a common problem that our faith is rooted in scripture and continues the here, and living alone could be one reason for it. Agnes apostles’ witness to faith in action.” remembered her childhood life when she regularly attended Bishop David Rossdale, IAFN Chair church and asked me for a Bible. Dismantling the stigma of HIV/ She was happy to read the Bible and during my visit would share with me the chapter that she had read that day. Psalm AIDS in Zimbabwe 23 was her all-time favourite. I contacted a local priest who Stigma means different things to different people. One visited regularly. Agnes spent her last few months with caring dictionary defines it as “the shame or disgrace attached to and nurturing people around her and her spiritual needs were something regarded as socially unacceptable”. There may be a met. In one of my visits she said, “Your visit gives me peace”. feeling of ‘us’ and ‘them’. People who are stigmatised are Beryl came to hospital to be treated for an infection that was marked out as being different and blamed for that difference. not clearing even after taking antibiotics. Her family asked if I Some people see a person who is HIV positive as someone could go and pray. She was eventually diagnosed with cancer who is dying or as someone who is not supposed to touch at an advanced stage. When details of her condition were anyone. Yet this is not so. IAFN June 2017 | 9 HIV is a virus about which many people have fears, prejudices working harmoniously through the Focal Persons in a or negative attitudes. Being stigmatised can result in isolation, collaborative and non-partisan manner. Community rejection, gossip and exclusion from social activities. Fear of Awareness Meetings have been held at Centres, with high being stigmatised can mean people end up suffering in silence participation by local people. The Programme is creatively instead of getting the help they need. presented with drama, music and poetry, and men and women living with HIV speak about their experiences in ways Church and community leaders can be exemplars and that give hope to and elicit empathy in many. Banners, t- ambassadors for ending the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS shirts, key holders and posters are used in the campaign to and restoring those affected to good health and to their raise public awareness. communities. There is an ongoing need for more education programmes to The following is taken from reports by Maud Marengereke, increase understanding of HIV/AIDS amongst local the Pastoral Care/HIV/AIDS Desk Coordinator for the Diocese communities, and the hope is that each Centre will have its of Harare in Zimbabwe. own support group helping to share information about stigma and discrimination related to HIV/AIDS. The Anglican Diocese of Harare has joined forces with other progressive organisations in the fight against HIV/AIDS-related World AIDS Day commemorations took place in December stigma and discrimination, saying that people should know 2016 at St Michael Mission in Mbare, with a higher attendance and understand that HIV/AIDS can be managed through by clergy and parishioners than in previous years. prescribed treatment and lifestyle choices. One way of promoting this message is through the bi-annual Embrace The Bishop of Harare, Rt Revd Chad Gandiya, gave an address Magazine produced by the Diocese’s HIV/AIDS Desk. The desk and said that church and community leaders should lead by is coordinated by Mrs Maud Marengereke in collaboration example by treating people living with HIV/AIDS equally in with Revd Tambaoga Manjengwa. their communities as this reduced stigma and discrimination.

Bishop Gandiya said that it was important that the church should realise that HIV/AIDS is a reality and people should be prepared to accept the challenges brought by this pandemic especially to families from poor backgrounds.

Mr Saruchera, Education Secretary for the Diocese of Harare, reminded listeners that many families have been affected by this pandemic which has resulted in children being forced to head families after their parents succumbed to HIV/AIDS. “Several homes no longer have parents but children who are compelled by circumstances to look after themselves.” He urged people to be good ambassadors and help spread the news that stigma and discrimination have no room in our lives.

CONTACT: Maud Marengereke, email [email protected]. Maud Marengereke, Pastoral Care/HIV/AIDS desk coordinator for the Diocese of Harare addressing high school students Niassa Diocese: ‘Life Teams’ in the Furthermore, the Anglican Diocese of Harare in partnership with United Society Partners in the Gospel (USPG) has community embarked on a programme aimed at eradicating HIV related The Diocese of Niassa in Mozambique shows how healthcare stigma and discrimination in local communities. The three- in the community can be strengthened by voluntary ‘Equipas phase intervention programme being rolled out from 2016 to de Vida’. Rebecca Vander Meulen explains. 2019 will have 20 new Centres each year. Antonio Julio is two years old and lives with his mother in As a starting point, the programme trains two Focal Persons Mapudje. He was refusing to eat and would only breastfeed. from each of the 20 Centres on basic concepts of HIV stigma His mother regularly offered him the standard baby porridge and discrimination. The Focal Persons educate and raise made from maize, water and salt, which he refused to eat. She awareness among parishioners and communities and are also had even taken him to the hospital but received no help. The responsible for carrying out parish activities in liaison with the day we practised making enriched porridge with vitamin A- Pastoral Care Coordinators. Additionally, clergy, church rich, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes and peanuts, his mother wardens and members of school leadership teams receive tried to give him some. He not only kept eating, but he training. grabbed the spoon from his mother to eat by himself. Now she makes enriched porridge for him every day—and the rest Initial support from local leaders, kraal heads and church of the family enjoys it, too. members has been very encouraging and most Centres are 10 | IAFN June 2017 The church is strategically placed for effective community development and since 2004, the Diocese of Niassa in rural Mozambique has been encouraging congregations to create their own ’Equipas de Vida’ or ’Life Teams’. There are now 340 active community development teams, with over 10,000 volunteers of many different ages, women and men, addres- sing both HIV/AIDS and other health-related opportunities.

Volunteers are expected to spend no more than about four hours per week on their community development work, so that their own income-generation work is not adversely affected. Some volunteers serve as counsellors, receiving a monthly lesson on a specific health topic to bring back to ten other households. Some serve as nutrition monitors, weighing babies and helping parents think through better ways of feeding their children. Some focus on hygiene, encouraging every household in the community to build or improve its own latrine. Some, as farmers, take the risk of experimenting with new seeds or new farming methods, and share the outcomes with fellow farmers.

These community facilitator staff members are known as ‘adeptos’—a Portuguese word that describes a fan at a sporting event, affirming the role of the local community team—not the staff members—as the primary agent of change. The adeptos serve the volunteer as change agents by Esperança with her medication helping them build their capacity to work more effectively towards their vision. Adeptos teach with clear explanations in to surprised celebration: friends and neighbours didn’t think the local languages, which is critical for deep comprehension, she would ever step foot in Mala again. The Mothers’ Union as many rural families speak no or little Portuguese. group surrounded her with prayers of thanksgiving. Esperança had the courage to live beyond the facts, fully aware of the Cobue is a small village in a remote corner of Mozambique possibility of being humiliated in that hope. offering better health services than most communities of its size because of the Anglican Diocese of Nissa’s comprehensive Properly managed, HIV is no longer a death sentence. We are community project. One evening last October, a woman was still far from that reality here in Mozambique, where tens of admitted to Cobue’s health centre. Infected ulcers and raw thousands of people still die annually from AIDS-related bed sores covered large areas of her body leaving her unable causes. Esperança’s life gives flesh to the vision of zero deaths. to sit up or walk. CONTACT: Rebecca J Vander Meulen, Director for Community Cobue’s experienced doctor began removing dead tissue while Development, Diocese of Niassa, Mozambique. Email a traditional midwife and the patient’s mother waved cloths to [email protected]. The full version of this article is keep the flies away. A team of dedicated people worked for at http://iafn.anglicancommunion.org/news-and-stories.aspx. hours each day to clean Esperança’s sores. Her immune system had been decimated by HIV, despite years of faithfully taking ARV medication. Her prognosis was poor but her name, ‘Wabvuwi’: the extraordinary Esperança means ‘hope’ in Portuguese and hope proved to be stronger than the bacteria that fought to take her life. story of a clinic for local

Three days into her wound care, with thousands of milligrams communities of antibiotics circulating through her body, Esperança man- Edward Ndaima describes how a tragedy led to the building of aged to leave her bed to go to the bathroom outside. This was a clinic at St Clare’s Mission, Mrewa, in the Diocese of Harare, something she hadn’t done in weeks. Her joy at having been Zimbabwe. able to get out of bed overwhelmed her thoughts of death. A team of efficient and dedicated people obtained authorization The story of the Anglican Wabvuwi (Fishers of Men) Guild from the national Ministry of Health for Esperança to begin a building a clinic in Zimbabwe is not an ordinary story, but one new regime of ARVs—a significantly more expensive set of of sacrifice and commitment. It is a story of not just sitting and ’second line’ medications that are only available to a small complaining about government failures, but one of standing proportion of Mozambicans living with HIV. up and complementing government efforts in providing health facilities and services to the nation. Within days, Esperança’s increasing mobility, healing sores and weight gain proved that these new ARVs were effectively Inspired by their Mission from Mathew 28.19-20 “Go ye halting HIV’s reproduction within her body. She arrived home therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of IAFN June 2017 | 11 the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world”, the Guild decided to go beyond the ordinary call of duty of evangelism by embarking on a project of constructing a clinic at St Clare’s Mission in Mrewa. The clinic is equally not ordinary, its size and architectural design is well above that of most clinics found in rural parts of Zimbabwe.

The story of the clinic began on 9 November 1997, a day that brings sad memories to the Guild when five members died in an accident at the turn-off to St Clare’s Mission. As part of evangelism through works, the Guild had contributed various items of clothes, food and cash for donation to Mutemwa Leprosy Centre in Mutoko, about 150km from the capital city Harare. Twelve members of the Guild including the leadership of Harare Diocese were selected to deliver the donated items. The clinic in Mrewa built by members of the Wabvuwi Guild They spent the day with the sick, socialising with them through music and sharing the word. It was a day well spent. attention and lost valuable time and in the end could not be saved. On their way back and continuing in the spirit of visiting the sick, they decided to see a member of the Anglican Church The Wabvuwi have provided labour for the construction of the who was not feeling well in Mrewa. As they turned from the Clinic and have fund-raised locally to cover other building main road they were hit by a big truck from behind and four costs such as materials. The Diocese of Harare is proud of the members of the Guild died on the spot and a fifth one was commitment and sacrificial service given by this men's pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. It was a sad Guild. The Fishers of Men in Zimbabwe are doing great work ending to a day that had begun well. through contributing towards health facilities of the country and indeed it is a story of spiritual healing to physical healing! Following this tragedy, members of the Wabvuwi Guild felt that something needed to be done in memory of these CONTACT: Edward Ndaima, email [email protected]. members who had died on duty. Discussions were held with the local community of Mrewa and its leadership and the Anglican church. Consensus was reached on the idea of the Loving and compassionate God clinic in view of the inadequacies of health facilities within the who desires fullness of life for all your children, area which were characterised by people travelling long we pray for families everywhere distances to access health facilities, and failure by some especially those parenting in poverty and in difficult community members to access health facilities including expectant mothers. Whilst it was members of the Harare contexts. Diocese who died in the accident and who had organised the Be with them, and those working alongside them in visit to Mutemwa, the clinic project was adopted as a national their communities, project covering all dioceses. In addition, a National as they seek to improve health, resilience and well- Conference of Wabvuwi Guild is held annually in August at St being. Claire’s Mission where the clinic is being built. May they be further encouraged and emboldened by these stories of local initiatives which have Funding for the project has come from members of the Guild the capacity to transform, so that all may flourish. and the Anglican community in general. Donations have also been received from some organisations. The superstructure Sheenagh Burrell, Coordinator of ALMA: linking the has now been completed and the walls have been plastered dioceses of Angola, London and Mozambique both inside and outside. A staff house has also been fully completed and is ready for occupation. The remaining stages are flooring and ceiling, electrics, plumbing and glazing as well as equipping the whole clinic. The targeted completion date is June 2017 with the official opening scheduled for August when the Guild holds the annual national conference.

The Bishop of Harare Diocese, Chad Gandiya has played a major role in ensuring that the project gets to where it is now, IAFN saying, “Some of those who perished in this accident could have survived had they been attended to sooner but unfortunately they had to travel to Harare for medical

The views of individual contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the International Anglican Family Network.